Fish net



Dec. 22, 1925.

J. J. WARD FISH NET Filed Sept. 28, 1925 f4] f7 @fig 3 www l ma J mi /QT To RME Y Patented Bec. 22, 1925.

JAMES J. WARD, on s'rg-LoU-Is, MISSOURI. l

FISH NET. A Y

Application led September 28, 1925. Serial No. 59,093.

To all whom t may. concern.' Be it knownV that I, JAMES J. l/VARD, a citiv. Zen of the United States, residing in the city i end to Va boat or :s'cow and be readily of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have inventy ed a certain new and useful Improvement in Fish Nets, "of which the following isa full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to fish nets and in particular to that class of fish nets used'in fishing in the channelsof streams.

' The object of my invention is to provide a'net ofirelatively'large capacity that may be operated in connection ywithV a boat or sc'ow, either when anchored or whenmoving in the channels of streams. i V

Afurther object of my invention is to provide a channel net that may be'secured at one operated by one or more men.

Other objects andl advantages of my invention will' be apparentfrom the specification and claims as also from the drawings, in which:

1 is a front view of a net being lowered into the water.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a netwhen lowered into the water. v

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a net being drawn out of the water.

It is well known that many species of fish in migrating follow the channel of a stream, which is often of such depth that the ordinary drop net or seine cannot be successfully used. It is, also, well understood that the weight of a net or seine of suitable dimensions for channel fishing is so great that it cannot be readily operated by a single person.

In order to meet these objections and difculties, I have provided a net that may be readily attached to the end oi a scow or barge,`either when anchored or moving with or against the current of the stream in such a manner that the opposite end of the net may be lowered to the bottom of the chan` Yof a rope and pulley.

The main body portion 1 of the net may be formed of any suitable material such as is commonly used by fishermen for making nets, having the mesh 2 of a size suitable for net is substantially rectangular in shape, except that its upper end is provided with The body of the wings 3 adapted to be secured to' posts 4;

The purpose of the wings Sisto prevent the Y i A loss'of fish overboard whenthe `net is drawn up, the wings in that case 'forming pocket to. prevent the escape of the catch laterally.

The upper end 5 of the net is `secured to the floorboard 6s of a boat 7. The sides of the net are provided with a plurality of flo-ats 8, suitably y'mounted upon strong cords 9, the upper endsof'the cords being attached tothe posts 4, and the lower ends of the cords ,being attached tothe ends of lthe crossbar 10, made of' metal of 'sufficient weight-to hold the bottom of thenet beneath the water when in use.

A plurality .of flexible wires or cords 11` have their upper ends attachedtofposts l12 byv means of-,rings 13, their lower ends being attached to the crossbar l0. f i

Suitable weights Miaieslidably disposed upon the flexible wires or cords 11, thev purpose ofwhich is to hold the net downwhen iny use and'to cause the net to purse when being withdrawn from the water.

Suitable booms or beams 15 are bolted at 16 to the floor-board 6 of a boat 7 and carry a rotatable roller 17, in the place of which, if casired, any form of pulley block may be use A rope 18, made fast at its lower end to the'cross bar 10 by two branches 19 joined together by a ring 20, or other suitable roller 17 and for security may be attached v as at 21 to any part of the boat 7.

It is obvious that -by suitable adjustment ofthe ro e 18, the net can be sunk to any desired epth and held stationary by securing the rope 18 to its fastening 21. It is, also, apparent that the net may be operated by one or more persons, depending upon the size of the net and the depth ofthe water.

Should it be desired to fish in waters of great depth, it would of course require a net of longer body than when used in shallow streams.

The contour of the net when in use, that is to say the amount of pursing desired, will depend upon the difference in weight between the weights or sinkers 14 and the corks or floats 8. By properly adjusting the relation between these two, the pursing effect may be changed at will.

lVhen the boat 7 is travelling forward, the net will necessarily be at less than a straight, angle to the longitudinal aXis of Vthe boat, depending upon the adjustmentot the rope 18, so it will "be readily understood that my improved net can be adjusted to suit both the depth of theY water and the swttness of `the current. It can likewise be adjusted to suit conditions when a vessel is anchored or when moving at a fast or slow rate of speed.

Having fully described my invention and the method of its construction, l,what I claim Vasnew and usetul'v'and desireztosecure by Letters Patents: 'n n vl. A' fish net ofthe characterldescribed, comprising a substantially rectangular body portion the upper end oit'which is adapted to be aiiXed to the deck of a boat, the lower end of saidbody portionvbeing attached to a if metal bar disposed transversely to said body portion and having suilicient weight to cause the said body portion to be drawn taut 'when depending 'into the water, triangular wingedv portions attached to the uppercorners of said body portion so that the base of the triangle will coincide with the vminoraXis of the body portion andthe yperpendicular' side of theY triangular yportion of said wings will be :disposed parallel 'to' the major axis of themain body of the net.; f

f 2; Ahsh ne'tof the class'vdescribe'd, comprisinga body-portion adaptedto be aiiixed Vat. one end'to the end of a boatand the op-y posite end being adapted to be sunk Vinto the channel of astream'and held taut by' rneans of a transverse metal barv affixed to said opcomprising a main body portion, siderwings adapted to be held in a-vertical plane by Iaplurality of' floats, a transverse metal bar attached to the lower end of saidmain body portion, a plurality of .eXible `members attached at one end to the stern of aboat andv attached at the opposite' end to the said`r transverse bar, said flexible members being disposed longitudinally upon the upper side of said main body portion, aplurality of sinlte'rs slidablythreaded Vupon said flexible members adapted to vcause Vsaid main body portion to sink when Vbeing loweredv into a stream and, also,to causesaid main body portion to purse when being drawnup out of a stream. i

-In witness whereof I have hereunto"af lixedmysignature this 19 day of September,y 1925.- L i Y. i

- JAMES" J. wann.VV 

